Monday, December 12, 2011

An Open Letter About Online Groups

Recently, there have been some kerfluffles and things
brought to light and fingers pointed and a whole mess of stuff going on
regarding the Proud Pagan Podcasters. My name was brought up. I have
maintained, since I parted ways with the PPP, silence as to why and how it came
about. That silence will not be broken today, as - despite what many of you
think of me - I really have very little interest in pagan-on-pagan,
podcaster-on-podcaster, or person-on-person mudslinging. [Insert snide jokes
and sarcastic giggling here.]

That being said…

Some very good questions have come out of the past 24 hours.
Questions that, until times like this, typically do not get raised. The little
questions that people keep to themselves so as not to upset one person or
another, despite the validity or need for an answer. Not that anyone cares, and
not that anyone asked, but I would like to post this open letter in which I
outline a few things I think any group could or should do to benefit the online
pagan community. It is not directed at anyone in the PPP, nor is it directed at
any person or group in particular. Rather, I address this to the greater
(internet) pagan community.

Ahem…

Dear Online Pagan Community,

What I have found since being a part of this community is a
treasure trove of the most glorious people on the planet. I have made friends
that have changed my life, and made many more acquaintances via the various
Internet mediums of social networks, blogs, etc. If there is one thing that
most pagans seem to agree on, though, it is that they do not like to group. The
phrase “herding cats” is echoed time and again on message boards, podcasts,
blogs, and the like anytime someone talks about starting up a new coven or
coffee shop meet-up. We, for whatever reason, do not like groups.

Therefore, I raise my pitchfork and wave my torch with pride
at anyone who has ever tried to organize a pagan event, organization, charity,
meet-up, message board, book club, business, or group of any kind. Whether I
know you or not, whether I agree with you or not, you have done something that
very few have dared to do, and even fewer have pulled off. Kudos. Being a part
of the online pagan community, however, is a bit of a different story. See,
there is a speed to the Internet. An amount of information as large as Niagara
Falls descending on something smaller than a thimble every second. We are
drowned in it. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of pagan blogs and message
boards and all the aforementioned resources out there. Every now and then,
there is a blog or podcast that rises out of the cacophony of blogs and
podcasts and makes a teeny tiny, miniscule name for itself. This is difficult
to do, and it is a pretty thankless task. It is both monetarily and personally
frustrating, sometimes, as this is not a paid gig, but content is still
expected to be high quality and posted with regularity. To those that do this,
I also salute you.

As to pagan groups, and the (recently raised) big question
of ‘What can an online pagan podcasting group offer that would make it a vital,
usable resource?’ I have a few suggestions:

Keep a list, and don’t let everyone on it. This is pretty
easy, but keep a list of all current pagan podcasts out there. Monitor this
list closely, and have preset standards for when someone’s inclusion of said
list will be revoked. Also, have standards for what is required to get on the
list in the first place and for returning to the list after you have been
removed. Not every Thorsson Bloodduck and Selena Thistleweed that put out a
single podcast using the voice recorder app on their iPhone should be included.
Have a number, 3 or 5 or 10 (or whatever) shows that must be put out within a
certain timeframe. This shows not only consistency, but that this podcaster
intends to stay. We’ve all seen the bright, shiny new podcast come out with 1
or 2 shows, and then disappear forever. (Only to have their show remain listed
on iTunes for years afterwards.) If someone hasn’t done a show in several
months, take that podcast off the list. Stay on top of this! Check the feeds of
the members on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. If someone has been removed, make
them start over with 3, 5, 10 shows in a certain amount of time to show that
they’re back and here to stay. A list like this would be a valuable resource.

Hold classes once every few months for newbie podkin. New
podcasts come out all the time. Most of us, in our first show, apologize for
not knowing anything about microphones or recording software or…really
anything. Hold a class hosted by a veteran podcaster (this can be rotated
between several folks) where the “students” are live with the “teacher” and can
ask questions. Many times we post generic how-to’s, but these don’t answer all
the questions, or they don’t answer them in the way best understood by
everyone. This can be hosted for free on a service like Skype. This will lead
to better quality podcasts that can be enjoyed by all.

Get members some deals. Most organizations have perks for
its members. Many times these perks come in the way of discounts or freebies
given by companies that want additional advertising. A few types of discounts
podcasters might like: equipment, software, books, movies, swag (t-shirts,
pens, buttons, etc.), coffee shop coupons (for meet-ups), and a whole host of
other things. No, I’m not saying you need to call Best Buy and ask for
discounts, but there are hundreds of small electronics businesses that are run
online that are looking for free publicity. Contact them. Ask for a 15%
discount for your members in exchange for mention on our collective podcasts.
This will help get podcasters better microphones, recording software, items to
review on their show, and thank you gifts for the fans. Make some calls.
Someone will respond.

Transcribe and Index shows. This would be time and labor
intensive, and would probably require a fee of some kind that could be paid to
the transcriber. But, something that I have learned is that many disabled
individuals would love to “listen” to our podcasts, but there are no transcripts,
and not everyone is both a blogger and podcaster. Transcriptions also make for
much easier indexes, and much more helpful ones. Instead of fast-forwarding to
a spot on a show, one could simply pull up the appropriate information and read
it in text form. I’m sure many podcasters would not mind paying yearly dues if
it were going to something worthy such as this.

If you charge dues, break them down. Since I brought up the topic of dues, I would just like to note that if you plan on charging dues, you need to break down - dollar for dollar - what the money will be used for. Everyone should vote on it, add to or take away from the fiduciary agenda, and then come up with a plan for said cash. This should be kept by an elected treasurer in a third-party account, so as not to cause any question as to what will happen with this money.

Organize events or assist already existing events. Create
gatherings, events, etc. with the podcasting community. Introduce the listeners
and podcasters to one another. Organize food drives, clothing drives, etc. If
an event like the one you want to plan already exists, partner with that event
to help it grow and be even more successful. Be a tool of the pagan community,
but never think that you are in charge of the pagan community. This helps to
bridge the gap between the online world and the physical, and helps our
community go from people talking about doing something, to actually doing it.

Create and assign tasks. Something that I learned from
working in the service industry is that nobody minds showing up to the party,
but few folks are going to volunteer to help set up. (To mix some metaphors.)
However, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, in order to keep from cooking
everything yourself, what do you do? You assign the mashed potatoes to Uncle
Sal, the broccoli and cheese casserole to Aunt Mildred, the drinks to Cousin
Dave, and the list goes on. To help get things done, you cannot idly sit by and
play the quiet leader. This will eventually lead to frustration and resentment.
Also, realize that the time may come when the task that needs to be assigned,
or reassigned rather, is that of the leader. Remember, pagans do not like
groups, and they are especially mistrusting of group leaders that want to
“remain in power”. Willingly pass the torch when the time comes with grace and
dignity, knowing that you helped where you could. But, to assign tasks, you
should also be doing the last point: organizing something. Come up with ideas,
and then put them into place! This will help get all of the above things done,
and you’ll come up with new things, and, yes, those will get done, too.

I would love to see an online pagan community come together
in fellowship, camaraderie, and helping one another flourish. Should you have a
group like that, or want to make one, these are just some tips I have for you.
They’re not perfect, and they are by no means complete, but they are a start,
and I humbly offer them to you. Please take nothing that I’ve said as anything
personal, and know that it comes from a place of love and hope for our
community.

4 comments:

Very well said Fire Lyte. Sadly, the pagan community likes to point fingers rather than try and work out a mutual working arrangement. It is a shame when ego's get in the way of the message that is trying to be conveyed to the public (like me). The list you proposed for a future group is very well thought out. Podcasters are our pagan communities voice to not only pagans, but to the general public who may be curious, or looking for mud to sling in their own rights and the podcasters would do well to have a community within the podcasters that they can turn to for help and support.

As usual, I missed the kerfuffle and the gossip surrounding it, so I have absolutely no idea what has happened regarding the PPP. As to this post, however - regardless of whatever prompted it - it is amazingly well said. Your list is incredible. Couldn't have put it better myself. I know that I certainly would have benefitted (and still would benefit) from support and education regarding podcasting and reaching/contributing the pagan community. My blog and podcast is nowhere near where I want them to be in terms of audio quality and information research. It can be incredibly disturbing to have things to contribute and no way of successfully getting it out there. I struggle greatly, and you are very right, it is a thankless job. For those of you who do far more than I have ever attempted with my contribution to the community, my pointy hat is off to you. Thank you FL for all that you have done to inform, entertain, and enlighten your listeners and readers. Never ever ever go away. Promise?